241 Chapter 411-415: The Golden Age (8k+ words)
Finishing his words, Bing Yin looked at Li Fan's expression, saying nonchalantly, "What? Don't believe it?"
Li Fan didn't answer.
Pointing towards the light cluster ahead, Bing Yin caused the changing scenery to blur, revealing a portion of the azure crystal within.
Under the shining light, a blue beam of light illuminated in front of Li Fan.
"You can try putting a strand of your divine consciousness into it, and you'll know with a try," Bing Yin said confidently.
After pondering for a moment, with a flicker in his eyes, Li Fan separated a strand of divine consciousness.
The moment it touched the blue light, the beam retracted.
Dizziness followed, and Li Fan closed his eyes.
The next moment, his divine consciousness abruptly returned.
Li Fan opened his eyes suddenly, somewhat astonished.
Feeling the memories returned by the divine consciousness, Li Fan couldn't help but feel speechless.
He was born in the "Great Plague Era," an ordinary foundational level cultivator.
Just because he went to the market to buy alchemy materials, he accidentally got infected with the Immortal-Devil Plague.
Initially, he felt weak and dizzy, thinking it was a problem with his cultivation technique. After taking pills and forcefully closed-door cultivation, he thought everything would be fine.
However, one night later, when he woke up from seclusion.
His cultivation had completely vanished, transforming from a dignified foundational cultivator into a powerless mortal.
Unable to accept this gap and with his body becoming increasingly frail.
Under the dual impact, he met his end.
Survival time: seven days.
"The initial Immortal-Devil Plague was a bit terrifying," Li Fan recalled his short life, frowning slightly.
Then he looked at the guide Bing Yin.
"I want to try again."
Bing Yin smiled, not surprised at all.
Using a technique, he summoned the blue beam again.
This time, Li Fan was born in the "Wasteland Era."
The original owner survived as a Nascent Soul cultivator through the fierce battles of the Great Dark Era.
Hands covered in blood, not trusting anyone.
A lone ranger in the wasteland, a bitter cultivator.
After taking over, Li Fan, during an exploration of ruins, finally obtained a profound Dao technique after going through countless hardships.
He began secretly searching for information about the essence of heaven and earth, attempting to break through to the Unity Dao realm.
Unfortunately, despite his extreme caution, somehow, information leaked.
Surrounded by several cultivators in the wilderness, he met his end harboring resentment.
Survival time: three months.
Li Fan came back to his senses, carefully pondering his experiences in these two attempts.
Then he said to Bing Yin, "Can I choose to start from scratch with a blank identity?"
Bing Yin seemed to understand what Li Fan was thinking and smiled knowingly.
With a light point, the blue beam shot towards Li Fan again.
This time, he was born in the "Prosperous Era" before the great calamity.
Various sects flourished, Nascent Soul cultivators were as common as dogs, and Core Formation cultivators were everywhere.
Li Fan was born in a small village within the domain of the Scarlet Flame Sect. Through the "Ascension Conference" held every five years, he became an outer disciple of the Scarlet Flame Sect.
Working diligently for two years, he finally succeeded in entering the Foundation Building stage.
About to be promoted to an inner disciple, truly embarking on the path of cultivation.
Unexpectedly, due to the dispute over a spiritual vein between the Scarlet Flame Sect and the Nine Sun Prefecture, a massive war broke out.
Although unwilling, he had no choice.
As cannon fodder, Li Fan stepped onto the battlefield.
Surviving for less than two days, he unfortunately died in battle.
Survival time: fifteen and a half years.
...
"Could it be intentional to increase the probability of various unfortunate events happening?" Li Fan looked at Bing Yin with suspicion.
Bing Yin shook his head. "People always say that cultivating the Dao is good, but little do they know that in ancient times, beneath the feet of an ordinary cultivator, countless failures' corpses were trampled."
"I see that you still have some doubts about this; so be it, let me make you truly convinced."
Bing Yin's face became slightly more serious.
He pinched a technique, making the blue crystal within the surrounding light cluster more exposed.
The crystal emitted a rhombus-shaped blue pattern, appearing in front of Li Fan.
"Please separate more divine consciousness and try again," Bing Yin reminded.
Li Fan nodded.
As his divine consciousness touched it, the world spun in an instant.
His consciousness split into a hundred parts, each entering different areas of the "Era" to experience various lives.
In the Great Plague Era, he barely survived the Immortal-Devil Plague but succumbed to revenge from mortals.
In the Great Dark Era, he slaughtered all fellow practitioners of the same cultivation method, becoming the sole surviving Gu King. However, he died in a confusing battle with two passing experts.
In the era of the New Law, as one of the first to hear the Immortal Venerable's teachings, he progressed rapidly but was labeled as an "Evil Cultivator" and killed.
In an unnamed era, there was a phenomenon called the "Immortal Spirit Tower," where all techniques could be freely searched, and guidance could be sought from spirits. However, people in that era were indifferent to cultivation due to a highly developed society, long lifespans, and abundant resources.
After Li Fan's birth, he indulged in pleasure for five hundred years, became idle for five hundred years, gradually lost his way for five hundred years, and fell into despair for five hundred years. Finally, after over two thousand years, he laughed and voluntarily ended his life.
More than a hundred strands of divine consciousness, except for the "Cultivation Paradise," lived for at most forty-three years. The average survival time was only half a year. The highest cultivation reached the early Golden Core stage, while the lowest died without embarking on the cultivation path.
Various lives played out in Li Fan's mind.
As he gradually recovered, after all the scenes slowly disappeared, he vaguely saw a blurry figure standing in front of him, softly saying, "Remember, it's not that the Immortal Alliance needs you."
"It's that you need the Immortal Alliance."
"This era is the best era."
"No doubt about it."
All the images shattered like broken glass, scattering like starlight in various parts of his consciousness.
At this moment, a blue light radiated in the center.
As if attracted, the starlight changed direction and flew towards the blue crystal.
Li Fan suddenly opened his eyes.
These two chapters are additions, and there are two more chapters coming later.
(End of this chapter)
Chapter 412: Remembrance in the Museum
"How does it feel?" Bing Yin's inquiry reached Li Fan's ears, and he nodded slightly.
"The Good Era is indeed deserving of its name."
This statement was partly to smoothly go along without revealing any flaws, and partly sincere.
Indeed, in terms of merely "being alive," the practitioners under the rule of the Immortal Alliance and the Five Elders today had it much easier than in most historical periods. Even the difficulty of obtaining a suitable cultivation method wouldn't be much more challenging than it was for wandering cultivators in ancient times.
Although entering the Immortal Alliance meant a lifetime of servitude, at least as a "cattle" or "horse" in this metaphorical sense, if one didn't act recklessly, living longer was not a problem.
In other eras of Xuan Huang, short-lived cultivators wouldn't even have the qualification to become metaphorical "cattle" or "horses."
As for whether life is precious or freedom is higher, that's another eternal and serious topic.
Li Fan had no intention of getting entangled in that debate. What concerned him was the hundred fragments of divine consciousness that had undergone the baptism of the "Era" and were about to disperse in his sea of consciousness.
However, they were absorbed by the Dao Crystal formed by his cultivation of the Dao technique, Dao One.
The details that had become blurry after experiencing the "Era" were slowly becoming clear again within the blue Dao Crystal.
Within the crystal, independent scenes were vaguely visible, slowly taking shape, bearing some resemblance to the "Era."
"What is this?" Li Fan's heart trembled.
"When the experience of the 'Era' ended, the figure I vaguely saw should not have been an illusion," he thought. "It's like a method of implanting brainwashing thoughts in the minds of all observing cultivators."
As he continued to explore the Museum of Divine Treasures under Bing Yin's guidance, Li Fan separated his consciousness and examined the changes in his Dao Crystal.
Perhaps because all Dao Crystals in the world originated from the same Dao Stone Mother, the Dao Crystal in Li Fan's sea of consciousness spontaneously absorbed all scattered divine consciousness. It was now attempting to reconstruct the worlds derived from Li Fan's memory based on the imprints of the "Era."
Unfortunately, perhaps due to the insufficient quality and limited computing power of Li Fan's Dao Crystal, when he wanted to carefully browse these worlds, he found that they were currently just empty shells. The images weren't continuous but rather disjointed, developing in stops and starts. The scope was also limited to a small area mentioned in his memory. Beyond that, it appeared twisted and broken like a distorted mirror.
Observing for a while, Li Fan noticed that these worlds were slowly expanding from both the time and space dimensions at an almost imperceptible pace, restricted by the computational abilities.
If the Dao Crystal were limited to this, Li Fan might not make substantial progress even after a hundred reincarnations. However, Li Fan didn't forget that in Yi Yin's tomb, there was a fixed Dao Crystal. Every reincarnation, he could absorb it, making his own Dao Crystal a bit stronger.
"Perhaps I can recreate the 'Era' on my own when the time comes?"
"But what's the use of that?" Suddenly, Li Fan thought of something, his eyes flickering.
"Elder Bing Yin, I suddenly thought of a question. You just said that a million blank divine souls were once sent into the 'Era' for an experiment."
"So, in the currently running 'Era,' are there actual divine souls present?"
He asked the guide.
"Hehe, of course there are."
About this matter, Bing Yin seemed unwilling to say much and simply replied.
Li Fan, deep in thought, suddenly asked, "Do you think that with such a large number of divine souls constantly undergoing the 'Era,' has there ever been someone who realized that the world they were in was illusory, not truly real?"
"After all, no matter how 'realistic' it is, it will eventually differ from the real world, right?"
Bing Yin glanced at Li Fan abruptly, surveyed the surroundings, and lowered his voice, "When I took over from the previous Bing Yin, he once told me an obscure story."
"About thirty-nine years ago, the 'Era' stopped running for a period."
"The entire Museum of Divine Treasures was closed during that time, and no one was allowed to enter or exit."
"At that time, everyone was puzzled, but later there were rumors. It was said that a million divine souls in the 'Era' mysteriously disappeared."
"The entire divine treasure museum was searched thoroughly, but nothing was found."
"This matter was eventually forgotten."
"As for whether they truly escaped or disappeared due to a malfunction..."
Bing Yin stopped speaking at this point.
Li Fan nodded slowly.
If something is possible, with a sufficiently large sample size, it can be considered inevitable.
A million divine souls, repeatedly reincarnating.
There would eventually be someone fortunate enough to discover the truth of the world they were in.
Li Fan didn't find this strange. He just confirmed one thing from Bing Yin.
Perhaps the real purpose of the 'Era' is not for brainwashing but for selecting and cultivating true geniuses.
A person's ultimate achievements cannot be determined solely by talent. Factors like luck, temperament, and determination also play a role. Often, some so-called geniuses die prematurely on their path, while seemingly ordinary individuals may go further.
In the real world, cultivating cultivators requires significant costs and involves risks of unexpected deaths and initial investments going to waste.
However, in the 'Era,' there's no need to worry about these issues.
Even through the selection process of the 'Era,' the results might be even better.
Indeed, during the Dark Ages and Wasteland Era, the most dangerous periods in the history of Xuan Huang, the risks were extremely high, but if a divine soul could achieve something during this time, it would be an accomplishment, changing history.
Li Fan believed that, during the long years of the 'Era,' such existences were probably not few.
Selecting them, reinfusing them into physical bodies, applying brainwashing and absolute loyalty spells.
The strength of these cultivators was terrifying to think about.
In the headquarters of the Immortal Alliance and during the construction of the Tianxuan Spirit Lock Array, Li Fan often saw some black-robed cultivators whose affiliation with a specific organization in the Immortal Alliance was unknown.
They often had expressionless faces, but the dangerous aura emanating from them and the unmistakable hint of bloodthirstiness made Li Fan shudder.
Li Fan speculated that these people were most likely cultivated through the 'Era.'
"This method is ingenious."
"For me, maybe after my Dao Crystal quality is sufficient, I can use the history I've experienced to hone myself."
As the saying goes, heroes create the times, but times also create heroes.
Li Fan didn't think he was outstanding. He was just an ordinary person struggling for survival in the perilous world of Xuan Huang, relying on the abilities of the 'Still True.'
With his experiences as a Grand Tutor in Da Xuan and the knowledge gained from it, he could perhaps handle interactions with cultivators of Yuan Infant stage and below with ease.
However, facing ancient monsters that survived from the ancient times to the present, he might feel a bit inadequate and immature.
More importantly, against these true powerhouses, he might not even have the chance to use the 'Still True.'
In grappling with them, besides cultivation, mentality and experience were crucial.
By continually experiencing historical segments in his mind, imitating the 'Era,' Li Fan might be able to compensate for his shortcomings in these areas.
Museum of Divine Treasures, countless treasures in the collection.
Under Bing Yin's guidance, Li Fan quickly browsed through the precious items in the Xuan Huang Realm.
In addition to the "Beautiful Era" section, the museum also had several other areas.
"Arrogance of Many Heroes" mainly collected items related to cultivators who left a mark in the history of Xuan Huang Realm.
- Corpse Mountain, Blood Sea: Originally an ordinary iron blade, it became a weapon of slaughter after a great change. Its owner, after countless killings, survived. Ironically, this deadly weapon was discovered in the belly of an underground beast. The owner, only leaving behind hand bones, died clutching "Corpse Mountain, Blood Sea" with regret.
- Myriad-Headed Banner: A foul-smelling magical instrument made from tens of thousands of heads, all from the same sect, the Soul-Sealing Sect. The creator of Myriad-Headed Banner was also from the Soul-Sealing Sect. During a great calamity, he slaughtered his sect members to craft this instrument. Unfortunately, he did not survive the Dark Ages, and the instrument became a trophy, eventually falling into the possession of the Immortal Alliance.
"Changing Seas and Sands" area showcased various terrain changes in Xuan Huang Realm over thousands of years, leaving Li Fan amazed by the extraordinary transformations.
"Ten Thousand Laws in Competition" area displayed various martial arts that appeared in the history of Xuan Huang Realm, though Li Fan could only read descriptions and not the specific contents. Nevertheless, he was captivated, almost unable to move.
Li Fan became immersed, losing track of time. When thousands of objects from astronomical time periods appeared before him, the image of Xuan Huang Realm gradually became vivid in his mind.
No longer just a hollow concept, it now carried the depth of history.
Gradually, he reached the central area of the Museum of Divine Treasures.
The most prominent feature was a large empty space with nothing but a human skull.
Bing Yin pointed at the skull and said, "This is the skull of the first cultivator rumored to be infected with the Immortal-Mortal Plague. I wonder what's so precious about it; the curator insisted on placing it here."
"Hmm? What's wrong with you?"
Bing Yin looked at Li Fan with some surprise. Suddenly, Li Fan closed his eyes, as if experiencing intense pain, trembling violently. Sweat dripped uncontrollably from his body.
"Are you okay?"
Seeing Li Fan's condition worsening, Bing Yin couldn't help but worry.
Li Fan forced a smile, shaking his head slightly to indicate he was fine but kept his reddened eyes closed.
"Discover absorbable item: Eternal Remembrance."
"Do you want to absorb it?"
"Discover absorbable item: Eternal Remembrance."
"Do you want to absorb it?"
"Do you want to absorb it?"
"Do you want to absorb it?"
...
The notification from "Still True" seemed out of control, echoing incessantly in Li Fan's mind, growing louder, almost completely occupying his consciousness. He felt an indescribable hunger, destroying his sanity.
This intense desire had appeared when he first saw the Eternal Remembrance of the Eternal Sun Master.
But now, the strength of this desire was a hundredfold, a thousandfold compared to when facing the Eternal Sun Remembrance!
(End of this chapter)
Chapter 413: Emperor San Weng, the Curator
"Quickly devour this Eternal Remembrance and then run, Still True!"
"This skull must be extraordinary to be placed in the central area of the Museum of Divine Treasures. Quickly devour its remembrance, and you'll surely uncover the hidden secrets!"
"Act fast!"
"Take it and leave; no one can stop you!"
...
Amidst the increasingly urgent reminders from Still True, various thoughts kept emerging.
They whispered in Li Fan's ears, tempting him.
For a moment, Li Fan was almost swayed and on the verge of taking action.
However, with immense willpower, he resisted the impulse.
He recalled the scene when he absorbed the Eternal Remembrance of Eternal Sun Master.
First, the surrounding space felt somewhat unreal.
Then, the bones of Eternal Sun gradually turned into crystalline white light, absorbed by him.
His mind shook violently, losing consciousness.
After seemingly experiencing the long life of Eternal Sun, Still True's prompt finally arrived.
The absorption of Eternal Remembrance was complete.
Based on past experiences, Li Fan quickly made a judgment.
Absorbing Eternal Remembrance would cause a significant disturbance. Not only would it make the host item disappear, but the white light representing Eternal Remembrance would accurately mark Li Fan as the initiator.
The absorption of Eternal Remembrance was not instantaneous.
It required time and, during the process, might result in a brief loss of consciousness due to the residual imprint of the remembrance owner.
After realizing these points, Li Fan promptly made a decision.
The Eternal Remembrance of this skull cannot be absorbed!
If he recklessly attempted it, it would be tantamount to seeking death!
Although the area around the skull seemed empty and completely defenseless, where was this?
The headquarters of the Immortal Alliance.
In the Museum of Divine Treasures, which housed countless treasures.
The core area of the museum.
Would there be no hidden protective measures here?
Absolutely inconceivable.
Li Fan was convinced that if he yielded to greed and recklessly absorbed the Eternal Remembrance, countless traps and restrictions would be activated instantly. He would then be captured and studied.
Perhaps there was a slight chance that this skull had no protection.
But...
Li Fan wouldn't take that gamble.
Because failure would mean irreversible disaster.
According to Still True's previous hints, Eternal Remembrance was not a bound item to Still True. After each reset, Li Fan could find the carrier of Eternal Remembrance and repeatedly use it.
Its nature was no different from the Dao Stone in Yi Yin's tomb, an item that could be repeatedly obtained.
What truly deterred Li Fan from absorbing it was that Eternal Remembrance could not be taken back by Still True.
Taking such a high-risk venture was destined to be fruitless.
...
After analyzing the known information, Li Fan should have completely given up the idea of absorbing the Eternal Remembrance here, considering the risks.
However, the allure it held for Still True was so strong.
The rational barrier was utterly fragile.
The large grinding disc of the Xuan Huang Soul Refiner rotated wildly as Li Fan forcefully suppressed the emerging desires.
He then asked Guide Bing Yin to take him away from this skull, requesting some rest.
Understanding the situation, Bing Yin nodded and kindly supported Li Fan.
To conceal his abnormality and divert attention, Li Fan initiated a conversation, "Senior Bing Yin, you mentioned earlier that the curator specifically placed that skull in the central position of the museum?"
Chapter 413: The Curator, Emperor San Weng
"Yes, it's quite strange. There are countless treasures in the museum, but I don't know why the Lord Curator is particularly fond of it," Bing Yin replied.
"It seems that perhaps the Lord Curator can perceive the remembrance contained in it," Li Fan pondered to himself.
While casually asking, he said, "I wonder which senior within the Immortal Alliance is the Lord Curator? I've never heard of them."
Bing Yin smiled, "It's normal that you don't know. The Lord Curator rarely appears, always acting low-key. Even for us commentators, it's not easy to see him."
"But if we talk about seniority, in the current Immortal Alliance, there are probably few who dare to claim they are above the Lord Curator."
Bing Yin said with some pride.
"Oh?" Li Fan couldn't help but be curious.
Bing Yin lowered his voice, "The Lord Curator, he has existed in the world since the distant ancient era. That's a time when the human race had not yet flourished."
"He almost knows everything in the world. You could say he is omniscient and omnipotent."
Bing Yin's admiration overflowed.
Li Fan felt that the words of the other party sounded somewhat familiar.
"He is a symbol of longevity and wisdom. We respectfully call him Emperor San Weng," Bing Yin slowly explained.
Li Fan looked a bit strange, thinking to himself, "Emperor San... Mole?"
But Bing Yin didn't notice Li Fan's change and continued to eloquently describe how knowledgeable and wise the old curator was.
After the two arrived at the rest area, Bing Yin still seemed a bit reluctant.
However, seeing Li Fan's poor physical condition, he tactfully stopped.
"You can rest assured and take a break here."
"The Museum of Divine Treasures is too vast; you can't explore it all in a short time."
"This is a resting place specially designed for visitors, so you don't have to worry about being disturbed."
After explaining, Bing Yin watched as Li Fan gradually recovered and then left with confidence, controlling the jade pendant.
Li Fan manipulated the jade pendant, activated the restriction, and completely sealed off the rest area.
In the depths of the secret room, the eerie skull disappeared from his perception range, and his trembling body finally gradually calmed down.
As if after a great battle, Li Fan felt only exhaustion in his body.
His already aging body was now even worse.
"Eternal Remembrance..."
In his calm state, Li Fan contemplated the unusual reason for Still True's intense desire.
The reason humans feel hunger is that they need to eat to replenish the essential energy for survival.
Surprisingly, Still True also felt the desire to eat.
This could only mean that there was something useful for Still True in Eternal Remembrance.
Leaving aside the skull in the Museum of Divine Treasures for now, what could Eternal Sun Master's remembrance offer to Still True?
"Special: Eternal Remembrance (Eternal Sun) (Usable 1 time)"
Looking at the information on the Still True panel, Li Fan made a decision.
He took out materials from the storage ring, set up a ritual to confuse perception needed to enter the Meteor Immortal Realm.
Li Fan then immediately consumed the last usage of Eternal Remembrance, activating Still True's Assimilation function.
After a moment of dizziness...
"Sun Master, it's time to take the medicine..."
The voice of his master, Guang Yangzi, echoed in Li Fan's ears.
(End of this chapter)
Chapter 414: Fulfilling the Wish of Eternal Sun
After swallowing the medicine, Li Fan felt a bit more energetic.
Using the medicine's efficacy as a lever, he stimulated a hidden power within his body.
"Puff!"
Spitting out a mouthful of blood startled Master Guang Yangzi.
The Cultivation Furnace Technique had begun to operate.
Hurriedly, Guang Yangzi went to prepare medicinal herbs for Li Fan.
Taking advantage of this opportunity, Li Fan carefully examined his own physical condition.
Recalling the relevant case records in the "Heavenly Medical Immortal Classic" while contemplating countermeasures.
His body was extremely weak, and after only a moment, he felt a wave of dizziness.
So he could only empty his mind and focus on recuperating.
After accumulating a bit of strength again, he continued to contemplate.
This repeated for three days.
After synthesizing the "Heavenly Medical Immortal Classic," Li Fan improved the prescription used during the second Assimilation process.
After some persuasion, Guang Yangzi finally agreed to switch to the new prescription.
The new prescription had excellent effects.
Combined with the continuous improvement of his constitution through the Cultivation Furnace Technique, after two months, Li Fan could barely walk on the ground.
"Young Junior Brother, you're amazing! I never expected the prescription to actually work! How did you know?" Second Senior Brother Ling Xiao asked while supporting Li Fan and smiling.
"It just appeared in my mind!" Li Fan widened his eyes and said innocently.
"Young Junior Brother is extraordinary! Perhaps you are the hope of our Body Transformation Path!" Third Senior Brother Lian Chang said with admiration.
Li Fan just chuckled.
"The first step is considered a success."
"The key now is to become stronger than Senior Brother Si Xing within six years, before the Immortal Recruitment Order arrives."
"To replace him in the war and avoid witnessing the tragic scenes of the Body Transformation Path practitioners passing away one by one."
"That's the determination of Eternal Sun Master."
Li Fan pondered in his heart.
"Senior Brother Si Xing, with Golden Core cultivation. Trying to surpass him in six years through conventional cultivation is like a fool's dream."
"I have to find another way."
Li Fan's eyes flickered.
On this day, he privately approached Master Guang Yangzi.
"Self-Transformation of the Body?" Guang Yangzi's face changed drastically when faced with his disciple's inquiry.
"Where did you hear that? Did that little rascal Ling Xiao spread rumors again?" Guang Yangzi fumed, scolding loudly.
"Master, I thought of it myself," Li Fan said earnestly.
"The 'Self-Transformation of the Body' technique we practice in the Body Transformation Path has the marvelous feature of assimilating external objects."
"But then I suddenly thought, what is considered an external object?"
"Senior Brother's sword, Second Senior Brother's brush, Third Senior Brother's clock—these are all external objects."
"So, can't my weak body be considered an external object?"
"Through the continuous refinement of the technique, Senior Brothers' 'Embodiments' are becoming stronger. If I can treat my body as an 'Embodiment,' doesn't that mean I can change my physique?"
"I won't be as weak as I am now."
Li Fan spoke word by word.
Guang Yangzi's face kept changing.
After a long time, he sighed deeply.
"Tianyang, you are truly a genius! Having such insight at such a young age is really..."
Guang Yangzi stroked Tianyang's head, feeling gratified, "With a disciple like this, our Body Transformation Path will flourish!"
"Yes, practicing the 'Self-Transformation of the Body' technique can indeed achieve 'Self-Transformation of the Body.'"
Guang Yangzi's expression suddenly became serious as he looked at Li Fan and said, "But..."
He sighed again.
"Too difficult! Too difficult!"
"Compared to ordinary objects, how complex is the human body?"
"Objects can continuously experiment and pursue compatibility with themselves. In the cultivation process, if there are mistakes, only the embodiment is damaged."
"But for Self-Transformation of the Body, one must use their own body as the experimental field."
"The slightest mistake can result in severe injuries."
"The loss of the body is secondary. The most frightening thing is the damage to the spirit."
A hint of sadness flashed in Guang Yangzi's eyes. "Once, I had an astonishingly talented senior brother. His talent was so high that I had never seen anyone surpass him in my life."
"At that time, he was recognized as the 'first person in Body Transformation Path in a thousand years' within the sect, with high expectations from the master."
"However, he was arrogant and believed he could definitely succeed in practicing 'Self-Transformation of the Body.'"
Ignoring everyone's advice, he forcefully cultivated it."
"As a result..."
Guang Yangzi paused.
"At first, he was just a bit eccentric, and everyone thought about healing him."
"But later, his madness became more severe. He completely couldn't distinguish between reality and illusion."
"One night, he went on a killing spree."
"The number of dead was countless."
"From then on, our Body Transformation Path declined..."
Speaking to this point, Guang Yangzi shook his head slightly.
"So, obedient disciple, remember. You must never attempt it!" Guang Yangzi earnestly warned.
Li Fan nodded heavily, "Yes! I understand, Master!"
After bidding farewell to Guang Yangzi, Li Fan returned to his room.
After much contemplation, Li Fan gave up the idea of forcibly cultivating Self-Transformation of the Body.
Like 'Foundation Building with Myself,' this Self-Transformation of the Body is indeed not something an ordinary person can achieve.
Looking at the later experience of Master Guang Yangzi, he also did not choose this path.
"Puppet..."
Thinking about the divine puppet several years later, Li Fan gradually formed an idea.
The next day, Li Fan found several senior brothers and told them that he wanted a puppet.
"Don't worry, Junior Brother. Leave it to me! Recently, my inspiration has been overflowing, and I've written several volumes in a row. It can be considered the peak of my career!" Second Senior Brother Ling patted his chest and assured him. "I'll sell them at the market soon and pick the most handsome puppet for you!"
...
Several days later, Li Fan got the puppet he wanted.
Ling smiled with a satisfied look, "Junior Brother, it is said that this puppet has the strength of Golden Core. I also spent a lot of effort to buy it!"
"Senior Brother, you're amazing! Thank you, Senior Brother!" After praising, Li Fan picked up the puppet and ran away.
"Junior Brother's body is getting better and better!" Ling laughed and sighed.
In the secret room.
Li Fan placed the puppet in front of him and cut a wound on his hand.
He let the blood drip onto the puppet.
At the same time, he activated the 'Self-Transformation of the Body' technique, feeling the subtle changes happening on the puppet.
Li Fan gave up the idea of Self-Transformation of the Body, but not completely.
His plan could be seen as a kind of Self-Transformation of the Body under special circumstances.
It could even be more extreme.
That is to discard his own body and completely transform himself into a puppet.
Just like what the real Master Guang Yang did in history.
But later, Tianyang chose to absorb the earth fire and refine the puppet.
And Li Fan's answer was to become a puppet first, then Self-Transform his Body.
Undoubtedly, this was a way of self-destruction.
The gap between a Golden Core puppet and the upper limit of the human body is incalculable.
But for Li Fan, who urgently wants to increase his combat power, it is the best choice.
Practicing 'Self-Transformation of the Body' with a puppet body drastically reduces the difficulty.
Firstly, the precision of the puppet is far beyond that of the human body, making it easier to achieve 'Unity of Self and Object.'
Secondly, there is no need to worry about personal injuries.
The repair of the puppet is much easier as long as there is enough material.
And when the puppet completes the Self-Transformation of the Body practice, under the state of unity of self and object, the explosive power it can unleash is several times stronger than just treating the puppet as an 'Embodiment.'
"The first thing to do is to discard the body and integrate with the puppet."
Li Fan operated the technique 'Self-Transformation of the Body' smoothly.
"It should be because Tianyang's body was a premature birth, and the spirit and body were originally not well-coordinated," Li Fan said thoughtfully.
In this way, keeping it a secret from the other practitioners of Body Transformation Path, Li Fan began his own cultivation plan.
This plan was too bizarre. Even Guang Yangzi did not notice the changes happening in his little disciple.
He just felt that Li Fan really liked the puppet Ling Xia bought for him and almost never left its side.
So, time passed quickly.
In the blink of an eye, six years had passed.
The Immortal Summons Bell rang, and the Immortal Recruitment Order arrived.
The three brothers of the Body Transformation Path argued over who should go to participate.
At this moment, Li Fan and his puppet suddenly appeared in front of them.
"Sister Star Senior, Ling Xia Senior, Lian Chang Senior."
"I think, let me go."
Ling Xia and the others looked at Li Fan, who was full of seriousness, in surprise.
"Younger brother, what are you saying? This is not a joke..." Ling Xia was saying when he suddenly froze.
Because the last sentence was actually spoken by the puppet following Li Fan.
"Boom! Boom!"
The puppet stepped forward and came to the three of them.
"Going to battle is a matter of life and death. If we have to go, we naturally have to send the strongest among us!"
"Senior Brothers, what do you think?"
Li Fan looked at the three, asking softly.
"Tianyang! You! Are you crazy?" Guang Yangzi was the first to see the changes in Li Fan.
His face turned pale. He wanted to go forward but didn't know what he thought of, and his steps stopped.
Only the slightly trembling hands indicated the extreme unrest in his heart.
"Did you anticipate this day in advance?"
Guang Yangzi stammered and asked.
Li Fan smiled without answering.
Looking at the senior brothers: "Please enlighten me, senior brothers!"
The three senior brothers gradually recovered.
Looking at the junior brother, who had already changed into a puppet, their eyes were filled with regret and sadness.
For a while, they stayed in place, not knowing what to say.
It was the eldest senior brother who first made a move.
He summoned his delicate and dripping green sword, pointing it at Li Fan from a distance.
"Junior brother, actually, let me handle this kind of thing."
"How can I, as a senior brother, let the junior brother go to his death?!"
Li Fan's figure flashed, wielding his fists and appearing next to the eldest senior brother.
"Senior brother, don't underestimate me!"
Feeling the incoming force, Sister Star's expression changed.
The long sword danced, attempting to stop Li Fan.
But the indestructible blade that used to cut Li Fan left no trace on him.
Not only was the puppet's body extremely hard, but its speed was also faster than an ordinary Golden Core cultivator.
In the midst of various moves, various strange mechanical devices shot out from different corners of the body.
For a while, Sister Star could only evade in embarrassment.
"Tianyang Junior Brother, it seems you have really put in a lot of effort. However, under these circumstances, I can't let you go for me!"
"Be careful!"
Sister Star raised his eyebrows, his figure turning into a stream of light, merging with the green sword.
"Clang!"
The long sword slightly trembled, emitting a crisp sound.
Later, the sword body unexpectedly extended like flowing water in both directions.
"Sword Water Heavenly Heart!"
The eldest senior brother's soft shout echoed from the sword body.
The sword radiance, like flowing water, arrived in an instant.
Upon hitting Li Fan's puppet body, unlike before, it didn't dissipate upon impact but rebounded like light.
After flowing in the air for a moment, it swiftly changed direction again, attacking Li Fan from another side.
Still, it was bounced back by Li Fan's robust body.
Sweeping in arcs, it instantly returned.
The flowing sword light became faster and faster, resembling a giant water-formed net that gradually enveloped the cumbersome puppet in the center.
At this moment, with only the puppet body, most divine abilities couldn't be executed.
Under the relentless attacks of Senior Brother Si Xing, Li Fan gradually fell into a disadvantage.
"Ancient cultivators are indeed not to be underestimated," thought Li Fan, his expression turning serious.
The puppet roared to the sky, emitting a dark red light from its body.
Amidst the tremors, it transformed, and in an instant, the humanoid body disappeared.
In its place emerged a gigantic palm.
Flexibly bypassing the Sword Water Heavenly Heart-formed sword light, the giant palm reached above the water net.
Expanding once again.
The shadow covered all the water swords and then pressed down from above.
It was the utilization of his self-realized technique, "Overturning Heaven Palm," executed through the immense puppet body, exuding a dominating aura.
"Great technique!" exclaimed Senior Brother Si Xing with excitement.
"I also have a move, please enlighten me, Junior Brother!"
"Natural as water, formless above all!"
"Sword name: Celestial Form!"
The water sword flowing beneath the Overturning Heaven Palm instantly disappeared.
However, Li Fan felt an inexplicable crisis.
"Swoosh!"
The invisible sword light flashed by.
Before the giant palm could descend, there was already a thin scar on its back.
Li Fan stared at this area of space.
Yet, he couldn't find any trace of Senior Brother Si Xing.
Another sword scar appeared.
Li Fan activated his spiritual power, attempting to repair his injuries.
However, he found that within the sword scar, an invisible sword qi hindered the wound's recovery.
The speed of the sword scars appearing became faster and faster.
In an instant, Li Fan's body became covered in numerous wounds.
"Younger Junior Brother, surrender!"
Senior Brother Si Xing's voice came from all directions.
However, he himself remained elusive.
"Senior Brother, your technique is excellent!"
Li Fan sincerely admired.
"But..."
Suddenly, Li Fan raised his voice.
"I have one more move. If Senior Brother can withstand it, I'll concede immediately!"
"Good! I'll watch with anticipation!" responded Senior Brother Si Xing.
Li Fan suppressed his momentum.
After a moment, he said to Second Senior Brother Ling Xiao, "Senior Brother Ling Xiao, may I borrow a pen?"
"Huh?" Ling Xiao was initially stunned.
"Oh, sure!" Soon, a brush flew over, held by Li Fan.
Infusing spiritual power, Li Fan swiftly wrote in the air.
It was...
The character "乱" (chaos).
The moment the chaos character appeared, terrifying cracks suddenly appeared on Li Fan's body.
Unable to maintain the form of the giant hand, he transformed back into the humanoid puppet, falling to the ground.
"This consumption..." Li Fan was somewhat horrified.
His robust body, crafted from special stones, was disintegrating.
Moreover, in many places, it directly exploded.
This was Li Fan comprehending the "Chaos Character Stone" in the mysterious realm, a profound technique he had derived. Its power far exceeded Li Fan's expectations.
Even the caster suffered such dreadful side effects.
Not to mention facing the character "乱," his Senior Brother Si Xing.
The Celestial Form faded away, revealing his disheveled figure.
But in front of the chaos character, he couldn't move.
His spiritual energy surged uncontrollably, unable to be restrained.
As the incarnate Green Sword, it darted around like a headless fly.
"Puff!"
Si Xing's arm strangely broke in the opposite direction, a hint of horror flashing in his eyes.
Because he sensed that this change was about to play out all over his body.
"Enough!"
At this critical moment, Guang Yangzi finally made a move.
His incarnate was a willow tree.
The green willow blocked in front of Si Xing, and the branches instantly danced wildly.
After a long time, everything slowly calmed down.
The willow tree disappeared, and Guang Yangzi's hand behind his back trembled slightly.
Si Xing looked at the heavily injured Li Fan, who was lying on the ground, with complex eyes.
"You've won, Junior Brother," he said softly.
Li Fan breathed a sigh of relief.
"Taiyang, your just now..." Guang Yangzi looked at his disciple, wanting to say something but stopped.
After a moment, he sighed deeply and gave up questioning.
"Never mind. I can see that you have a big secret."
"But being able to join our Dao of Embodiment is also a fortunate event for our humble sect."
With a waning interest, Guang Yangzi waved his hand and left.
Si Xing was at a loss for words for a while.
Only Second Senior Brother Ling Xiao, shouting and hollering, hurriedly began to heal Li Fan.
...
The puppet body, as long as the materials were sufficient, was relatively easy to repair even for severe injuries.
Ling Xiao ran to the market again, and shortly after returning, Li Fan had already recovered.
Under the gaze of Master Guang Yangzi and his three senior brothers, Li Fan, along with the urging immortal envoy, left the Dao of Embodiment.
Embarking on the battlefield.
The surrounding scenery suddenly froze.
Then, like shattered glass, it burst into fragments.
Turning into dots of light, they all rushed into Li Fan's mind.
Thousands of years ago, the memories belonging to True Person Taiyang appeared vividly.
Including the "Embodiment of Freedom" technique, the method of refining puppets, and even the "Fire Ascension Formation" to elevate puppet levels using earthfire, all of these were remembered as if personally experienced, etched into his mind.
However, Li Fan didn't have the time to examine these at the moment.
Because his attention was entirely captivated by the prompt from "True Embodiment."
"Though dead, the true spirit persists."
"Embodiment of oneself, traversing all ages."
"Embodiment function has been unlocked."
(End of this chapter)
Chapter 415: Clever Shedding of the Embodied Shell
Li Fan was deeply shaken.
After unexpectedly obtaining the legacy of True Person Taiyang, not only did he gain a lot, but "True Embodiment" also unlocked new features.
No wonder when he saw the Eternal Legacy before, "True Embodiment" transmitted waves of hunger.
Li Fan immediately began to carefully study this so-called "Embodiment."
After a moment, his brows furrowed slightly.
"Consumes 100% of the Embodied Energy progress, abandons physical existence, and completely entrusts the true spirit to an item..."
"After becoming an item, it cannot retain autonomous consciousness, only preserving a bit of 'spirituality.'"
"Correspondingly, the duration will be greatly extended."
"When the duration reaches its limit, the 'True Embodiment' function will automatically trigger, returning to the pre-set anchor point."
"... What's the use of this?"
Li Fan was initially somewhat disappointed.
However, after careful consideration, he vaguely thought of the usefulness of "Embodiment."
At the most basic level, even when nearing the end of one's lifespan, one could still use the method of embodiment to remain in the world and gather information.
Although the specific details of many events might not be clear.
But for the future trends of the world, as long as entrusted to reliable people, it should not be difficult to grasp.
Moreover, according to the feedback from "True Embodiment," if Li Fan were to activate "Embodiment" now, it could last for nearly three thousand years.
Even if the duration might be shortened due to damage to the embodiment, it would still significantly enhance Li Fan's foresight ability for the future.
Thus, he could plan more effectively in the next life.
Over a thousand years, those who could leave their lives in history were undoubtedly extraordinary heroes.
Remember their names and invest in them again when the time comes.
Compared to Li Fan's previous slow process of recruiting talents by relying on his own contacts and inquiries in a single state, this method would be much more efficient.
Li Fan's interest was piqued.
"For example, in this world, what will the Xuanyellow Realm, shrouded by the Tianxuan Sealing Spirit Formation, become? Perhaps I can understand this through it..."
Cautiously, Li Fan once again confirmed many details of "Embodiment."
"'Embodiment' and 'Embodiment of the Real' are powers of the same level. After embodying, as long as one cannot resist the 'Real Embodiment' power, it will be impossible to discern the true spirit deposited in the item."
"After embodying, the progress of 'Embodied Energy' will still automatically increase, and the upper limit is raised to 1000%. This greatly enhances self-defense capabilities."
"Besides reaching the limit of duration, when the embodied item encounters the danger of complete destruction, it will also trigger the automatic return to reality."
...
In a short time, Li Fan made a judgment.
The safety of this "Embodiment" function was guaranteed.
"It's perfect as this world's lifespan is about to end, and with the identity of a builder of the Tianxuan Sealing Spirit Formation, even if I can live for a few more years, freedom will be restricted."
"Better to embody, shed the golden cicada shell, and quietly observe the changes in the world."
"But before that, I need to select the embodied item and the person to entrust."
Li Fan scanned his storage ring.
His gaze stopped on a crystal-clear disc.
"The 'Formation-Breaking Jade Plate,' specially made by the Wanxian Alliance Formation Hall for formation masters of Nascent Soul and above."
"It was a reward for the top one hundred in the final assessment before the Universal Sect."
"However, over the years, I have been busy building the Tianxuan Sealing Spirit Formation, and this thing hasn't come in handy."
"Compared to other items of unknown origin, the vigilance raised by this artifact produced by the Wanxian Alliance should be much less."
"Next, I need to consider how to get this Formation-Breaking Jade Plate into the hands of the designated person."
Li Fan pondered in the secret room.
Time slowly passed.
During this time, Li Fan received messages from Huangfu Song, Qi Buyi, and even Ji Hongdao. They asked when he would come out of the Museum of Divine Treasures.
They requested him to come directly to the Wanxian Alliance headquarters, Formation Hall, after coming out. The rewards for ranking second in the Great Comparison Golden List were ready, and he could collect them anytime. In addition, longevity treasures were also prepared, awaiting his arrival.
Li Fan only sneered when he read the messages and chose not to reply. He wasn't afraid of them coming to force him out.
In the Museum of Divine Treasures, there was an area called "Xuan Huang Wan Xiang," where samples of all living beings in the Xuan Huang Realm were preserved.
Thinking of the existence that devoured everything above the Xuan Huang Realm, Li Fan speculated during his visit. This so-called "Museum of Divine Treasures" seemed less like a museum and more like a place to preserve the fire of civilization in the world.
If the Xuan Huang Realm really faced destruction, this place would likely bear the hope of preserving the seeds of civilization for future reconstruction.
Later, when he asked the commentator Bing Yin, it turned out that the Museum of Divine Treasures had an extremely special status, and all conflicts were prohibited inside. Even the Formation Hall did not have the authority to forcibly take someone away.
As long as Li Fan stayed inside, Ji Hongdao and the others couldn't do anything.
Before activating "Embodiment," Li Fan checked the situation of his clone.
Han Yi, full of hope, explored the remnants of Tian Du together with him. They encountered many inexplicable dangers along the way and both were seriously injured, returning to the Source Dao City in a sorry state.
On the way back, Han Yi constantly scrutinized his clone, Xiao Fan, with a suspicious gaze, hesitating to speak several times.
"It's a pity. I thought I could make gains by using this person's luck."
Li Fan thought this way, shaking his head slightly.
Afterwards, he manipulated his clone to return alone to the Tian Du remnants they had explored before.
He found a restriction, actively sought death, and ended the life of his clone.
...
"In this way, I can proceed with the next plan."
Li Fan's eyes flickered.
With the launch of "Embodiment," a bit of true spirit was invested in the "Formation-Breaking Jade Plate" in the storage ring.
Li Fan's consciousness suddenly went black, and his aura quickly weakened.
At the same time, far away in Tian Yunzhou, He Zhenghao, and in Tian Yuzhou, Huangfu Song, both received Li Fan's message just before his death.
"A farewell letter?"
Huangfu Song's face changed, full of disbelief. He quickly contacted Ji Hongdao.
Half a day later, when Qi Buyi hurriedly arrived with Huangfu Song, what they saw was Li Fan's corpse.
"He died like this?"
Huangfu Song was stunned.
Qi Buyi approached with a solemn expression, examined it, and nodded.
The two looked at each other, both speechless.
"I noticed something wrong with his complexion before. He said it was fine as long as he rested. The result..."
Commentator Bing Yin shook his head, sighing.
Huangfu Song transmitted, "What should we do now?"
"He's already dead, what else can we do?" Qi Buyi's expression was indifferent. After looking at him, he brushed his sleeves and left.
End of this chapter.
